Served over whole wheat spaghetti and white beans (for protein and yumminess), this meal really hit the spot. I bought a big batch of fresh basil (with this dish in mind) at the farmer's market last Saturday. Though I'm growing basil on my porch, there's not enough for pesto.
I also bought bulk walnuts for this dish last weekend at Wild Oats, but somehow I forgot why I bought them. So instead of saving them for the pesto, I snacked on them throughout the week. Some even found their way on top of Sheridan's birthday cupcakes (see post about that below).
So when it came time to make pesto, I realized I didn't have the 1/2 cup of walnuts the recipe called for. So I subbed some pecans with the walnuts (about 1/4 cup each), and the result was even more delicious than using plain walnuts.
I served this with a big ol' green salad of iceberg (I LOVE iceberg and I don't care if it's void of nutrients), carrots, cabbage, farmer's market tomatoes, local cucumbers, vegan bacon bits, and non-dairy ranch!
Pesto is what MAKES a pasta dish, in my opinion - yum!
ReplyDeletelooks good. i put white beans on my pizza i made last night. I love 'em.
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you can come over for dinner anytime. we are almost always cooking and we eat late. like 8ish.
-jfb
Haha! Yes, ma'am, from Memphis. This is Shayla.. :)
ReplyDeletethat's some awesome look'n pesto, Bianca! i like how you added the beans in for protein, and used whole wheat pasta, too (dan & i looooove whole wheat pasta). mmmmmmm! good to know that pecans in pesto = awesomeface! i'm going to try that soon - it's brilliant + tasty and that rocks the most!!
ReplyDeleteGreat minds think alike...I just bought some basil the other day for a pesto sauce. Though when I got home, I realized I didn't have any pine nuts, walnuts, or pecans (good to know that works, too!). Your pasta looks yummy, and I LOVE your banana split cupcakes from a few posts ago!!!
ReplyDeleteI've got a batch of Isa'a basil mint pesto in the freezer right. Now I'm thinking I might have to hit the ol' defrost...
ReplyDeleteTomorrow evening I will be alone at home, and I'm already dreaming of a pasta&pesto dish with a glass of wine! niceeee
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one who buys items at the grocery and then forgets why I bought them.
ReplyDeleteI've started to think that just about any nut can be an effective substitute for traditional pine nuts in pesto recipes. Which is good, because I'm not the biggest pine nut fan.
I love the addition of white beans. Good thinking!
Yummy! Do you absolutely have to have a food processor for pesto? I should totally make it instead of spending like $5 every time I buy some...
ReplyDeleteFantastic post. Basil is a gift from the goddesses above - no doubt! It is just so yummy, pesto, fresh, in bread, in everything!!!
ReplyDeletePesto pasta looks gooooooood.
ReplyDeleteI love iceberg too...I do not care. That sounds like a good old fashioned southern salad. Mmmmm...
Oh gosh, I am catching up with all your old posts-- the banana split cupcakes look to-die-for... as does that pesto dish, the sweet potato bread, the tofu/rice noodle dish, and basically everything else you've cooked up since I've been gone!
ReplyDeleteI bet pesto is great with white beans! This is a really amazing meal idea you've got here. :)
ReplyDeleteI've started adding pesto to almost all of my pasta dishes - even the ones with tomato sauces. It really adds a special layer of flavor. So delish!
ReplyDeleteHahah! That's too funny about your canned baba ghanoush. The one I went to is on the corner Nolensville Rd and Old Hickory, tucked way back in a shopping center. Did you try it? Did you like it?
Oh man, I love me some pesto. (And pasta with white beans.) So easy! So delicious!
ReplyDeleteYum, pesto! I love playing around with different nuts and leaves and seeing what comes out!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE white beans in pasta! Yummy goodness for all!
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